Pakistan Education Watchdog Slams Islamabad University Over Holi Celebrations
© AP Photo / Rajesh Kumar Singh
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Known as the festival of colors, Holi is celebrated annually to mark the arrival of the spring season and the end of winter in India.
The Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan slammed an Islamabad university after pictures of students enjoying Holi festivities on the campus emerged online, local media reported on Wednesday.
Holi is a major festival for Hindus in India. On this day, believers of the Hindu faith pay their obeisance to Lord Vishnu, the god of preservation, as per religious scriptures.
This year, Holi festivities were held on 8 March in India, and that's when the incident at Islamabad's Quaid-e-Azam University took place. However, photos and videos of the celebrations inside the Pakistani institution only went viral on social media on Tuesday.
Taking cognizance of the matter, the country's Higher Education Commission stated that Holi festivities in the Islamic nation had "caused concern and disadvantageously affected the country's image".
The authority made the comments in a letter signed by HEC Executive Director Shaista Sohail that was sent to heads of state institutions in Pakistan on Tuesday.
Holi is a major festival for Hindus in India. On this day, believers of the Hindu faith pay their obeisance to Lord Vishnu, the god of preservation, as per religious scriptures.
This year, Holi festivities were held on 8 March in India, and that's when the incident at Islamabad's Quaid-e-Azam University took place. However, photos and videos of the celebrations inside the Pakistani institution only went viral on social media on Tuesday.
Taking cognizance of the matter, the country's Higher Education Commission stated that Holi festivities in the Islamic nation had "caused concern and disadvantageously affected the country's image".
The authority made the comments in a letter signed by HEC Executive Director Shaista Sohail that was sent to heads of state institutions in Pakistan on Tuesday.
In the letter, Sohail stressed that higher education institutions (HEIs) have a responsibility towards the youth of the nation to make them "cultured individuals".
Also, the document mentioned that the commission has always framed its rules and regulations in line with Pakistan's "culture, values and traditions, thus preserving the nation's ideology".
"Unfortunately, it is sad to witness activities that portray a complete disconnect from our socio-cultural values and an erosion of the country's Islamic identity. One such instance that has caused concern was the fervor exhibited in marking [the] Hindu festival of Holi", the HEC elaborated.
In the end, Pakistan's education body urged students not to take part in such activities, as they are "obviously incompatible with the country’s identity and societal values".
Also, the document mentioned that the commission has always framed its rules and regulations in line with Pakistan's "culture, values and traditions, thus preserving the nation's ideology".
"Unfortunately, it is sad to witness activities that portray a complete disconnect from our socio-cultural values and an erosion of the country's Islamic identity. One such instance that has caused concern was the fervor exhibited in marking [the] Hindu festival of Holi", the HEC elaborated.
In the end, Pakistan's education body urged students not to take part in such activities, as they are "obviously incompatible with the country’s identity and societal values".
